Venturi-tube oil well pump



'April 19, 1938. w. F. MCMAHON VENTURI TUBE OIL WELL PUMP Filed April 25, 1936 I A k k AZZAZI/I Patented Apr. 19, 1938 I UNITED STATE S PATENT OFFICE 8 Claims.

This invention relates to oil well pumps and the like apparatus adapted to entrain fluid from bored holes in the earth by a Venturl-tube mode of operation.

An object is to provide a Venturl-tube structure formed to resist wear and thereby create a more economical device of its kind.

Another object is to provide an eflicient means for raising petroleum from deep bored holes in the earth to the surface of the earth.

A further object is to provide a new and useful oil well pumping apparatus wherein a circulating liquid is utilized as a motive medium to entrain and/or raise fluid from a bored hole or the like.

An object is to provide an oil well pump, having no moving parts in the oil well when operating, being constructed so that the only parts subject to wear may be efficiently replaced.

A further object is to provide an oil well pumping apparatus operated by a Venturi-tube mode of operation and being constructed so as to insure a long operating life.

A further object is to provide an oil well pumping apparatus comprising a removable Venturitube having inserts of high abrasive material forming the contracted fluid passageway therein, said contracted fluid passageway having a cast area of the order of less than four hundredths of one square inch.

With these and other objects in view, the invention resides and consists in the construction and novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described and illustrated and pointed out in the claims hereto appended, it being understood that various changes in the form, proportion, size and minor details of construction within the scope of the claims may be resorted to without departure from the spirit and intent or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

Similar characters of reference denote like or corresponding parts throughout the several figures of the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification and upon which:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view through the pumping apparatus showing the concentric tubes that lead from the apparatus to the surface of the earth.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged view of the demountable Venturi-tube.

Fig. 3 is a transverse section through the demountable Venturi-tube at AA, showing the entrance to the Venturi-tube from the 011 deposit.

Fig. 4 is a transverse section through the detion 5 to an enclosed chamber 6 in its lower end way is to cast this pump body I.

mountable Venturl-tube shown in Fig. 1, at 3-3.

Referring in detail to the characters of reference marked upon the drawing, l represents the Pump body to which the outer of the concentric tubes 2 is secured by threaded engagement 3. This tube 2 will lead from a point low in the oil well to the surface of the earth. Pump body I is' an elongated cylinder comprising a longitudinal passageway 4 extending from the upper porportion 1, and in the center thereof a chamber 8 0 located above the enclosed chamber 6 is provided for access to the oil deposit. On either side of chamber 8, and in the center of the pump body I, tapered seats 9 and ID are provided for seating the demountable Venturi-tube H. A non-returnable check valve I2 is incorporated in chamher 8 to permit fluid from the oil deposit to enter into the chamber 8 but not to return into the deposit from chamber 8. Chamber 6 is enclosed on its lower end portion by a removable plug l3 which contains a hemispherical surface it. Longitudinal passageway 4 provides a passageway for the fluid leaving the lower chamber 6 and guides same up into the annular space 15 formed by the inside diameter l6 of tube 2 and the outside diameter of inner tube [8. While I have made this pump body I a casting similar in some respects to the body shown in my U. S. Patent No. 1,801,520 dated April 21, 1931, it is obvious that means may appear to those skilled in the art of making a similar structure out of machined stock. However, for manufacturing reasons it is believed that the most economical In oil well pumps, where sand conditions and/or corrosion are encountered, the very heart of the practicability of such a pump, using a circulating liquid as a motive medium, resides in reducing operating expense to a minimum by virtue of maintaining a constant certain size of orifice in the contracted fluid passageway of the Venturi-tube, resulting in low operating cost per barrel of oil entrained. Therefore with these facts in mind and after extensive experimentation, I conceived the disclosed construction of Venturi-tubes incorporatlng therein castings, that cannot be turned on a lathe, at the critical points in the Venturi-tube passageway to maintain a constant certain size of orifice and to counteract wear and the like due to such sand condition and/or corrosion.

The importance of this improvement may be gained from the fact that, in pumps of this kind, the increase of but one-sixteenth of one inch in diameter of said contracted fluid passageway will increase the operating costs, of said pumps, over forty percent in doing the same work. This said improvement is not disclosed in my copending applications Numbers 35,797 and 59,867 and is believed to be an improvement thereon.

Heretofore when using a circulating liquid as a motive medium especially in oil wells having what is termed a sugar shale or sand and in oil wells containing a high percentage of sulphur I have found that the usual alloy steels present little resistance to the abrasive action of said sands etc., and that the greatest wear takes place at the most vital points namely at the contracted passageways I I and I9 of the Venturi-tube II. This wear soon creates a less eflicient operating result and necessitates many replacements which are obviously costly. To overcome these said objectiens I have herewith provided a demountable Venturi-tube II comprising inserts made of material adapted to resist abrasive action. These inserts 29 and 2i are to be of castings tubular in formation and made of material that cannot be machined or turned in a lathe. This material may be a mixture of tungsten, molybdenum and/or carbide of silicon and aluminum oxide. The contracted passageways I I and I9 will be cored of a size in area of the order of less than four hundredths of one square inch.

It should be noted that'the full volume of the circulating liquid and/or the fluid from the deposit will pass through this small area. I have discovered that this area of less than four hundredths of one square inch creates the most eflicient Venturi-tube mode of operation and likewise the most efiicient oil well pumping apparatus wherein a circulating liquid is used as a motive medium.

While I do not desire to be limited to any particular material used for the inserts 20 and 2|, I can best specify the material as a casting which cannot be drilled after so cast or that cannot be machined or turned in a lathe. One of my most important improvements resides in providing a Venturi-tube formed of two truncated cones, the contracted end portions of same being formed of cast inserts having cored passageways forming the contracted passageways I! and I9 through the demountable Venturi-tube II.

My new and novel demountable Venturi-tube adapted for entraining fiuid from deep oil well by use of a circulating liquid as a motive medium may be further gained from the structure and size of the passageways therein by viewing Fig. 2, of the drawing herewith which is a full size drawing of same.

Demountable Venturi-tube I I is formed a cylindrical wedged shaped structure comprising an upstream conical passageway 22 and a downstream conical passageway 23 opposed to each other at their adjacent contracted end portions I1 and I9. The passage areas of the contracted passageways I! and I9 are of the order of less than four hundredths of one square inch. Surrounding the upstream conical passageway 22 is a wedge formation 24 constructed to be seated in seat 9 of the body I. Surrounding the downstream conical passageway 23 is a wedge formation 25 constructed to be seated in seat IU of body I. It is obvious that this demountable Venturi-tube II can be made of a one piece structure but, in using inserts 20 and 2i it is necessary to use a coupling means 26 to enable the inserts 2|] and 2i to be assembled in place. An inlet passageway 21 provides a passageway from the oil deposit and/or chamber 8 to the contracted portions I'I and/or I9 at the place where the velocity of the liquid flowing through the Venturi-tube II is greatest. The demountable Venturi-tube is connected with the inner tube I 8 by means of a pipe collar 23. The weight of this inner tube I3 is utilized to keep the said Venturi-tube I I seated in seats 9 and III in pump body I. Said inner tube I3 is also used to demount the Venturi-tube II when so desired.

Coupling 26 secures the upstream portion 29 of the Venturi-tube II together and in axial alinement with the downstream portion 30 by threaded engagement 3i with both portions 29 and. 30. By referring to Fig. 2, of the drawing herewith, it will be noted that receptacles 32 and 33 are provided in the downstream portion 30 of the Venturi-tube II and in the coupling 26 respectively, to contain in position the inserts 2i and 20. These inserts 20 and 2| will be secured in said receptacles 32 and 33 by solder 34. On the upper end portion of insert 20 a washer 35 is used to insure watertightness, while on the lower end portion of insert-2i a similar washer 36 is also used for the same purpose.

In Fig. 1, of the drawing I have shown the demountable Venturi-tube II constructed so that the insert 2i is only used on the downstream portion 39. Otherwise the construction is identical with that construction shown in Fig. 2, of the said drawing, with the exception of the depended portion 31 formed part of the upper portion 29 of Venturi-tube I I is utilized to permit of threaded engagement 38 with the downstream portion 29 of Venturi-tube II so that insert 2i may be efliciently installed or replaced therein.

The mode of operation of this apparatus is that of a Venturi-tube. On the surface of the earth a mechanical pump adapted to force a liquid or create a pressure on a liquid is operated by a gas engine or electric motor or by steam and the like to discharge liquid into inner tube I8. While I will not describe in detail this surface pump because of its well known structure, it should be noted that this surface pump is an important element to be used in combination with the apparatus used in the oil well and one is depended upon the other.

The total volume of liquid discharged from said surface pump is conducted through inner tube I8 and the demountable Venturi-tube II through passageways I"! and I9 wherein the velocity of said liquid is increased to such extent that the said velocity will be equal to or greater than that velocity which would be caused by the static head or distance of a column of liquid extending from chamber 6 to the surface of the earth in the annular passageway I5.

When the velocity of the circulating liquid is thus established, vacuum will be created in passageway 21 of Venturi-tube II and in chamber 8 of pump body I and fluid will be entrained through check valve I2 into the downstream passageway 23 of Venturi-tube I I and said fluid will intermingle with the circulating liquid and be conveyed to the surface of the earth via annular passageway I5.

It is obvious that due to my Venturi-tube structure I I, I may reverse the direction of flow of the circulating liquid at any time from that direction of flow just described.

From the annular passageway I the circulating liquid together with the fluid entrained, from the oil deposit, will be conveyed into a receptacle on the surface of the earth and as the volume of the circulating liquid increases, this surplus will be conveyed into storage tanks located on the surface of the earth, it being understood that a certain set volume of circulating liquid will be used constantly and that the fluid entrained from the oil well will be surplus thereto. Also this circulating liquid may be heated on the surface of the earth and used to equally good advantage.

After the pump body I is installed in the oil well it can remain therein for an indefinite period because there is nothing in the body itself that will wear out. The only parts subject to wear in the apparatus are the contracted passageways l1 and 19 of the demountable Venturi-tube II and these parts may be replaced without the necessity of removing the outer tube 2 or pump body I from the oil well. As Venturi-tube H is removably seated in the pump body I, it may be readily removed from the body I by merely pulling the inner tube l8. Other means of pulling this Venturi-tube II to the surface of the earth may appear to those skilled in the art.

As before stated my improvement resides mainly in providing a casting that cannot be machined and incorporated in that casting is a cored passageway having an area of the order of less than four hundredths of one square inch. This cored passageway forms the Venturi-tube passageway and is new and novel in Venturi-tube structures as applied to deep oil well pumps.

Having thus described my improvement what I claim is:

1. In an oil well pumping apparatus using a circulating liquid as a motive medium for entraining fluid from deposits in the earth and raising same to the surface of the earth and comprising concentric tubes, a pump body located in the oil well and connected with the outer of the said concentric tubes, a demountable Venturitube removably seated in seats in said pump body and connected with the inner of the said concentric tubes, a passageway in said Venturi-tube formed of two truncated cones and a contracted passageway, said contracted passageway formed by a cored passageway in a casting mounted in axial relationship with the said truncated cone passageway and secured against longitudinal movement in said Venturi-tube, the area of the said cored passageway being of the order of less than four hundredths of one square inch, an inlet passageway from the oil deposit to the said cored passageway, means for moving said concentric tubes adapted for the circulation of a liquid through said pump body and said cored passageway wherein the velocity of the circulating liquid is increased sufficiently to entrain fluid from the oil deposit into the said cored passageway.

2. In an oil well pumping apparatus adapted to be operated by a circulating liquid, concentric conduits, a pump body secured to the outer of the said concentric conduits, a demountable Venturi-tube removably seated in a seat in said pump body and secured to the inner of the said concentric conduits, an elongated passageway extending from the upper end portion of the body to an enclosed chamber in the lower end portion of the body, the discharge from the demountable Venturi-tube directed into said enclosed chamber, an entrance from the oil well to the pumping apparatus located above said enclosed chamber in said body, an inlet passageway to the Venturi-tube located in said entrance, said demountable Venturi-tube formed of opposed truncated cone shaped passageways terminating in cored contracted passageways located on either side of said inlet passageway, said cored contracted passageways formed by castings mounted in and secured against longitudinal movement in said Venturi-tube, the area of the cored contracted passageway being of the order of less than four hundredths of one square inch, said concentric conduits adapted for circulating a liquid through said pump body and cored passageways and creating thereby a partial vacuum in the said entrance to the pumping apparatus.

3. In an oil well pumping apparatus adapted to be operated by a circulating liquid used as a motive medium, concentric conduits, a pump body located in the oil well connected with said concentric conduits, a demountable Venturl-tube mounted in fluid passageway relationship with said concentric conduits and removably seated in a seat in said pump body, said demountable Venturi-tube formed of two opposed conical passageways and a contracted passageway, said contracted passageway formed by a casting contain ing a cored passageway and being removably seated in the demountable Venturi-tube, said cored passageway area being of the order of less than four hundredths of one square inch, an inlet entrance from the oil well to the said cored passageway, said concentric conduits adapted for circulating a liquid through the said demountable Venturi-tube and creating thereby a partial vacuum in the said pump body.

4. In an oil well pumping apparatus adapted to be operated by a circulating liquid used as a motive medium to entrain fluid from oil deposits in the earth, concentric conduits, a pump body located in the oil well and adapted to join the said concentric conduits together, a demountable Venturi-tube mounted in fluid passageway relationship with said concentric conduits and removably seated in a seat in said pump body, an inlet passageway to the Venturi-tube from the oil deposits, a cylindrical elongated casting containing a cored passageway having an area of the order of less than four hundredths of one square inch and being removably seated on one side of the said inlet passageway in the Venturi-tube, a conical shaped passageway abutting the said cored passageway adapted to form the Venturi-tube passageway, said concentric conduits adapted for circulating a liquid through the said demountable Venturi-tube and creating thereby a partial vacuum in the said inlet passageway.

5. In an oil well pumping apparatus adapted to be operated by a circulating liquid used as a motive medium to entrain fluid from oil deposits in the earth, concentric conduits, an elongated pump body having an entrance therein for access with the oil deposit and adapted to join the said concentric conduits together, a demountable Venturi-tube mounted in fluid passageway relationship with said concentric conduits and removably seated in a seat in said pump body, said demountable Venturi-tube formed of a wedge-like cylinder comprising a Venturi-tube shaped passageway having an elongated contracted passageway wherein the velocity of the circulating liquid flowing through the Venturitube is greatest, an inlet passageway from the oil deposit to the said elongated contracted passageway, said elongated contracted passageway formed by a cored casting adapted to be removably seated in the Venturi-tube and secured against longitudinal movement therein, the area of the said elongated contracted passageway being of the order of less than four hundredths of one square inch, said concentric conduits adapted for circulating a liquid through the Venturi-tube and creating thereby a vacuum in the said inlet v sew o 6. lrij'ga'n oil well pumping apparatus adapted to beloperated by a circulating liquid used as a motive medium in cooperation with a Venturitube, concentric conduits adapted to provide fluid passageway for the circulating liquid, a pump body in the oil well and connected with said concentric conduits, a demountable Venturi-tube mounted in fluid passageway relationship with said concentric conduits and removably seated in a seat in said pump body, said demountable Venturl-tube formed of two truncated cones coupled together in axial alinement at their contracted end portions, an inlet passageway from the oil deposit to the Venturi-tube in said coupling, an elongated contracted Venturi-tube passageway on either side of the contracted end portions of the truncated cones, said. elongated contracted passageway formed by a casting mounted into the demountable Venturi-tube, an inlet entrance to the pump body from the oil deposit and connected with said inlet passageway in the coupling, said concentric conduits adapted for circulating a liquid through the pump body and Venturi-tube and creating thereby vacuum in said inlet entrance to entrain fluid from the oil deposit into the elongated contracted passageway, said removable seated construction adapted for removing the demountable Venturl-tube off the said seat in the pump body.

7. In a pumping apparatus adapted to be operated by a circulating liquid, concentric conduits, an elongated pump body connected with said concentric conduits, a demountable Venturi-tube directly connected with the inner of the said concentric conduits, said demountable Venturi-tube removably seated in a seat in said pump body, an entrance to the pumping apparatus through the side wall of said body, a check valve in said entrance, an enclosed chamber below said entrance,

an elongated passageway from the enclosed chamber through the said body to the annular passageway formed by the concentric conduits, the inlet entrance to the Venturi-tube being in said entrance to the pumping apparatus, said Venturitube co'ntaining a passageway formed by two truncated shaped cones and an elongated contracted passageway having an inlet entrance thereto,; said Venturi-tube comprising two parts having threaded engagement with each other at the elongated contracted passageway portion thereof, said elongated contracted passageway formed by a cored casting mounted into the Venturi-tube and adapted to be remounted by means of the said threaded engagement, the inner of the said concentric conduits adapted for circulating a liquid through the Venturi-tube and pump body and creating vacuum in the said inlet entrance to entrain fluid from the oil deposit into the said elongated contracted passageway of the Venturi-tube and discharging same into the said enclosed chamber of the pump body.

8. In a body containing an inlet entrance and a tapered seat, a demountable Venturi-tube removably seated in the tapered seat in said body and comprising an upstream member and a downstream member, said members having opposed coniform fluid passageways with respective abutting elongated contracted fluid passageways, means containing an inlet entrance and mounted on the adjacent end portions of each member and adapted to secure said members in axial alinement and to be moved to impart a change in the longitudinal relationship of said members, an inlet fluid passageway between said members adapted to be changed upon contracting the iongitudinal relationship of said members, said elongated contracted fluid passageway, in the downstream member, formed by a cored casting inserted in said member, said elongated contracted fluid passageway having an area of the order of less than four hundredths of one square inch, the said inlet fluid passageway and inlet entrance in the said means and the inlet entrance in the body all communicating with each other.

WILLIAM FREDERICK MCMAHON. 

